Premium
Foxp3 Expression and Nitric Oxide Production in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Communicants with Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Author(s) -
Cavalcanti Y. V. N.,
Almeida T. M.,
Almeida A. F.,
Reis L. C.,
LucenaSilva N.,
Pereira V. R. A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/sji.12053
Subject(s) - peripheral blood mononuclear cell , pulmonary tuberculosis , nitric oxide , tuberculosis , peripheral blood , immunology , medicine , peripheral , biology , pathology , biochemistry , in vitro
The understanding of the mechanisms involved in the immune response is of significant relevance to the control of tuberculosis ( TB ), especially in individuals living with patients with TB . To characterize the nitric oxide ( NO ) production and the F oxp3 marker expression in this population, peripheral blood mononuclear cells of intradomiciliary contacts of individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis with ( CT b, susceptible) and without ( ST b, resistant) previous history of active infection were stimulated in vitro with M ycobacterium tuberculosis antigen (TbAg) and with the mitogen C oncanavalin A for 24 and 48 h. The groups analysed did not present significant difference in the Foxp3 mRNA expression nor in the NO production. Negative correlation ( P = 0.09) between NO and Foxp3 after a 48‐h stimulation with TbAg was observed in the STb group. In this group, after a 24‐h culture stimulated with TbAg ( P = 0.03), this same correlation was observed. In comparison with the cytokines previously studied by our group (Cavalcanti et al ., 2009), a positive correlation was observed between IL‐10 and Foxp3 after a 48‐h culture of cells from communicants susceptible to tuberculosis (STb) stimulated with TbAg ( P = 0.04). Evaluating the entire population, a positive correlation was observed between the cytokine TNF‐α and the Foxp3 marker in the cultures stimulated for 24 ( P = 0.03) and 48 ( P = 0.02) hours with TbAg. Therefore, considering the similarity in the exposure and the individual capacity of responding to the contact with M . tuberculosis , the present study contributes to the comprehension of the immune regulation in individuals living with patients with TB .